


Choose One

by IronWoman359



Series: Sanders Sides Mario AU (created by @sugarglider9603 on tumblr) [2]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series), Super Mario & Related Fandoms
Genre: Crying, Kidnapping, M/M, Minor Violence, Villain Deceit Sanders, mario au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-04
Updated: 2019-01-04
Packaged: 2019-10-04 08:49:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17301578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IronWoman359/pseuds/IronWoman359
Summary: Bowceit has managed to kidnap both princes AND Logan this time, and he forces Virgil to make a horrible choice.





	Choose One

Travel across the land. Defeat enemies. Defeat Bowceit, save the princes. Rinse and repeat. 

At a glance, it seemed like a typical afternoon for Virgil. But in all actuality, there was  _nothing_ typical about this scenario…in fact, it made Virgil sick to even  _think_  about. Yet here he was, facing down his greatest enemy,  _alone,_  with the three people he cared most about in the world out of his reach. 

His heart was pounding in his chest as a combination of exhaustion, worry, and anger swirled around in his mind, making it impossible to think. But he  _had_ to think, he had to, because there  _had_  to be another way, there just  _had_ to…

“I won’t wait forever, little hero!” Bowceit’s voice was bursting with confidence, and Virgil wanted nothing more than to punch him in his stupid snake face, but he couldn’t. 

Bowceit had planned for everything this time: he was high atop a platform, far out of Virgil’s reach, and other than the short section of floor Virgil was standing on, the entire room was a massive lava pit. And there hanging above the lava were three cages, each containing a piece of Virgil’s whole world. 

_There had to be something he could do, there had to be another way…_

“Did you not hear me?” Bowceit taunted. “You may choose  _one_  to save, while the other two will remain in my possession. I’m really being very generous here; if you don’t accept my offer, I’ll be forced to just keep you  _all.”_

_Come on Virgil, they’re counting on you, don’t let them down!_

“So who’s it going to be, little hero?” 

“Me!” Virgil blurted out, and Bowceit raised an eyebrow. “Me,” Virgil continued breathlessly. “Please, take me instead, you don’t have to do this, I’ll stay with you, I promise, just let them go, please…” 

Above his head, the cage that held Prince Roman captive swung back and forth as Roman strained against the virtual  _mountain_  of chains he was wrapped up under. Virgil could hear a muffled cry, and he knew Roman was trying to beg Virgil not to give himself up, but Virgil  _had_ to, it was the only way to-

“HAHAHAHAHAHA!” Bowceit’s laugh cut off Virgil’s thoughts. “You think I’m that naive, little hero? I am through playing games with you. I shall have a prince to make my king and an additional  _guest_  to ensure that there is no _funny_ business from anybody.” 

A chill ran down Virgil’s spine, and Roman’s cage shook again as the angry prince desperately tried to free himself. “Make your choice, little hero. Let one go, or take your place beside them. But hurry up, I don’t have all day! Wedding plans to make, you know.” 

Virgil’s mind felt like it was swallowed in molasses, but he had to  _think_  now, he  _had_ to. He couldn’t save them all, but he could save  _one_ of them…wouldn’t Logan say that was the logical thing to do? 

Logan…

Virgil looked up at his brother, who was bound and gagged in his cage just as tightly as Roman. Unlike the prince of Sarasaland though, Logan was sitting as still as possible, so as not to rock his cage back and forth. His eyes were trained on Patton, who Virgil could see was shaking a little, and if Virgil concentrated he thought he could hear Logan humming Patton a lullaby behind his gag. 

Guilt stabbed at Virgil’s stomach, and not for the first time since Bowceit had delivered his ultimatum, the shorter hero felt like throwing up. This latest stunt from the koopa king wasn’t just mean, it was cruel. 

Choose  _one?_  

Choose between saving brother, the only family Virgil had left in the world and the person who knew him better than  _anybody…_ and Roman? The love of Virgil’s life, the one who made him laugh and let him cry and lit up every day of Virgil’s life brighter than he’d ever thought possible? Or  _Patton?_ Patton who was the kindest soul Virgil had ever met and who cared for his brother so deeply…and was  _cared_ for so deeply, by both Logan and Roman, not to mention Virgil himself and every single one of the mushroom kingdom’s subjects, though he never seemed to realize how much his people loved him? Patton who would be heartbroken if Roman and Logan were left to Bowceit’s clutches, Roman who would be heartbroken if Patton and Logan were left, and Logan who would be heartbroken if Roman and Patton were left. 

Virgil, who was already too heartbroken to look at the choices and make the logical one, the one he knew his brother would surely be able to make if their roles were reversed, right?

“Well?” 

Virgil looked up at Bowceit, and felt something in his heart clench as he saw Roman staring down at him, finally still. 

_No, I can’t do this please don’t make me do this…_

Have you finally made up your mind little hero?”

_Please, no, please let them go, I’ll do anything you want, please…_

“Yes.” 

“Took you long enough,” Bowceit scoffed. “I can see why you’re not the smart one.” 

Virgil saw Roman shake his cage again with indignation, and a lump formed in his throat. 

“Logan,” he whispered, and Bowceit leaned closer. 

“What was that?” 

“Save…save Logan. Please, just…just let my brother go.” 

Virgil hung his head as Logan’s cage was lowered, unable to look up at the two princes. He’d failed them. He’d failed both of them, and now they were doomed to live the rest of their lives in Bowceit’s dreary castle, one of them forced into a wedding that they didn’t really want. Virgil knew Roman would volunteer in order to protect Patton, and the thought nearly made him sob aloud as one of Bowceit’s minions produced a large key and handed it over to him. 

“As much as I’d love to stick around for your touching reunion, I’ve gotta dash. We have a ceremony to prepare!” Bowceit cried, before snapping his fingers. Patton and Roman’s cages rose up through hidden trapdoors, and Bowceit followed suit, leaving Virgil alone with the still imprisoned Logan in the lava chamber. 

Virgil nearly dropped the key, his hands were shaking so badly, but he managed to get the door to Logan’s cage open and the lock on the chains undone before rushing forward and practically flinging himself into Logan’s embrace. 

“I’m so sorry,” he sobbed, and as Logan’s arms went around him, whatever resolve he’d had left melted away. “God, Lo, I’m so sorry, I couldn’t save you all, I couldn’t save Patton, I just…I c-couldn’t  _lose_  you Logan, you’re all I have left, I’m s-so s-sorry…”

“Shhhh, shh…” Logan soothed, running a gentle hand through Virgil’s hair. “It’s alright, Virgil. As much as I love Patton, you are always my number one priority. I…I do not want to lose you either.” 

Virgil peeked up at Logan, and was surprised to see a few tears in his brother’s eyes. He hugged him tighter, which Logan ordinarily would have protested, but today he did not seem to mind, and his own grip on Virgil tightened as well. 

“Thank you,” he murmured, and Virgil could only nod. As much as he was relieved to have his brother back in his arms, he couldn’t help the wave of guilt that washed over him. He’d still failed. He’d failed Patton. He’d failed  _Roman._  

“Now,” Logan said, pulling away suddenly. “What do you say we go and rescue some princes?” 

Virgil’s eyes widened, and suddenly he felt like the biggest idiot in the world. Of  _course_  he and Logan weren’t going to just  _abandon_  Patton and Roman now, they were going to  _save_ them, because that’s what they  _did._  He looked up at Logan, and gave a shaky smile. 

“I say that’s the best idea I’ve heard all day.”

—

Roman hadn’t even made it all the way down the aisle when Logan and Virgil burst into the chapel, and Bowceit’s frustrated roar was nearly covered up by Patton’s squeal of delight at the sight of the two plumbers, reunited and fighting side by side. Before Virgil had time to even process the fight, it was over, and he suddenly had his arms full of a very happy Roman while Logan worked on unlocking Patton’s chains. 

“I knew you could do it, my Stormcloud!” the prince cried, and Virgil’s gut twisted with yet more guilt. 

_He wouldn’t have had to wonder if I’d just saved him. I wouldn’t have had to even choose if I’d just been able to protect him in the first place._

“Stormcloud? Why are you crying?” 

Virgil didn’t answer; to tell the truth, he hadn’t even realized he  _was_  crying again, but when Roman pointed it out he found he couldn’t stop. He sank to the floor, Roman’s shirt balled in his fists, and Roman quickly knelt beside him, pulling the plumber into his lap and stroking his hair gently. 

“There there, hush now Stormcloud. It’s alright,” he soothed. 

Virgil was vaguely aware that Logan and Patton had gotten down next to him, but he didn’t have enough energy left to wonder about why. He didn’t even have the energy to talk, but that didn’t stop him from trying, one word forcing its way out through a wave of fresh new tears. 

“I’m sorry…” he sobbed again, over and over, even as he felt a second, then a third pair of arms go around him. 

“Let’s go home,” said a muffled voice, and then he found he was being lifted bridal style, something he usually would do for his beloved after a rescue, not the other way around, but he found he didn’t care, and simply clung to Roman’s shirt while he cried. 

At some point, he must’ve run out of both tears and energy, because the next thing he knew, he was lying on his bed in Roman’s castle, the other three leaning over him in worry. The sight of them all so clearly concerned for him only made the guilt come back stronger than ever, and he hid his face in his pillow. 

“Virgil? Are you going to say what is bothering you?” 

Logan’s voice. 

“Virgil, Kiddo, please talk to use?” 

That one was Patton. 

“Stormcloud, please. Look at me.”

It was Roman’s voice that got him to peek out at them, and the look on his prince’s face was so soft and warm and full of love that he almost opened up, but he couldn’t. He tried to bury his head in the pillow again, but Logan gently slid it out of his reach, forcing him to keep looking at them all. 

“Stormcloud, it’s over now. We won,” Roman began, but Virgil shook his head. 

“It…it doesn’t matter,” he said in a voice that was barely a whisper. 

“I think it does,” Patton said softly. “Or I’d be Bowceit’s dungeons right now after being forced to watch my best friend get married to a man he doesn’t love.” 

“No, that’s not what I mean, I…” Virgil trailed off, looking around at them. “I failed you all,” he whispered. “I…I wasn’t strong enough to beat Bowceit, I let him get the best of me, I…” he looked at Roman, and more tears filled his eyes. “I failed  _you,_  Roman,” and he broke down into sobs again. 

“Oh, Stormcloud,” Roman sighed as he wrapped his arms around Virgil. “I’m so sorry you went through all that.” 

“I…I didn’t go through  _anything!”_ Virgil exclaimed. “It was all you going through it, and I couldn’t save you, I was completely useless, and I couldn’t even  _save_ you Roman, I-” 

“Virgil, you made the right choice,” Roman interrupted softly, and Virgil looked up to see the others nodding. 

“You were absolutely amazing,” Patton said. “And when you chose Logan, I was so relieved.” 

“I…you were?” 

Patton nodded. 

“I knew that if Logan was free, he’d never stop trying to get me back.” He smiled at Logan and squeezed his hand, making the taller plumber blush. “And I knew that the two of you working together would be enough to save the  _both_  of us,” he added, and Roman nodded in agreement. 

“Virgil, my love, you are the light of my life,” he said, taking both of Virgil’s hands. “You are my hero, and I love you so  _so_  much, more than anything in the whole galaxy, but I would never  _ever_  ask you to choose me over your brother. Even if the two of you hadn’t been able to save us, I would have wanted you to choose Logan over me.” He gave Virgil a soft smile, and Virgil’s heart swelled. “He’s your family, mi amor.” 

Virgil shook his head, then reached out and pulled Patton and Logan into the embrace. He breathed in deeply, taking in their scents now that they were here, safe,  _together._  

“You...you’re all my family,” he whispered, and this time as the arms went around him once more, the tears that fell were not from sadness.

**Author's Note:**

> I just can't get enough of this AU, it's so fun to write for! Again, if you haven't checked out @sugarglider9603's art, you should, it's wonderful!


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